Luke Clanton makes lower after marathon weekend; 14-for-11 playoff for remaining match play spots at 2024 U.S. Novice

CHASKA, Minn. — Match play is ready to start Wednesday on the 2024 U.S. Novice, however first, a playoff.

Stroke play concludes Tuesday at Hazeltine Nationwide Golf Membership and co-host Chaska City Course, however come Wednesday morning, there will likely be a 14-for-11 playoff to find out who will get the ultimate spots for match play, with the Spherical of 64 to observe.

Maybe the story of the match to date is 39-year-old Jimmy Ellis, the mid-am medalist who fired a 61 on Tuesday at Chaska Town Course to win medalist honors by three shots. He’ll be the highest seed for match play however should wait to seek out out who he’ll face.

However that is removed from the one storyline after stroke play. Luke Clanton, who’s set to take over No. 1 within the World Novice Golf Rating on Wednesday, is on to match play after a whirlwind weekend that noticed him place high 5 in a PGA Tour occasion in North Carolina earlier than jetting to Minneapolis to make it to the U.S. Novice.

U.S. Novice: Photos from Hazeltine National

Here is what you should know forward of Wednesday’s Spherical of 64 on the U.S. Novice:

Clanton advances to match play after marathon week

Florida State rising junior Luke Clanton has performed 75 holes of golf within the final 72 hours. A majority of these had been midway throughout the nation in knowledgeable occasion.

Clanton recorded his third top-10 finish on the PGA Tour this summer Sunday at the Wyndham Championship. He did so after enjoying 39 holes on Sunday in a match that was performed over three (or four if you’re Matt Kuchar) days due to Tropical Storm Debby. Then, he hopped on a personal jet and zoomed to Minneapolis for his U.S. Novice tee time alongside Vanderbilt senior Gordon Sargent and Auburn sophomore Jackson Koivun, a gaggle of the highest three gamers within the World Novice Golf Rating.

No want to stress for Clanton. Even with no apply rounds or prep on both course, he fired a 69 at Chaska City Course on Monday and adopted up with a 2-under 70 on the tougher Hazeltine Nationwide, and he is safely into match play.

“Quite a lot of golf, however it’s good,” Clanton mentioned. “Once more, I believe it’s simply superior to be right here. We didn’t know if we had been going to make it right here or not. To play the primary two rounds and to play fairly good golf is admittedly superior.”

Clanton will rise to No. 1 in WAGR on Wednesday due to his end on the Wyndham, and for good purpose. Though Koivun received all the main school golf awards final season, Clanton was ranked greater within the season-ending NCAA golf rating. This week, Clanton additionally made match play whereas Koivun, a quarterfinalist within the 2023 U.S. Novice, missed the lower. Sargent will be part of Clanton in match play.

“Jackson and Gordon are wonderful golfers,” Clanton mentioned. “They all the time have been. , Gordon’s that man. While you see him enjoying, everyone seems to be on the market watching him. He’s an exceptional golfer. He’s already received his (PGA Tour) card locked up. He’s going to positively be a menace on Tour, and identical factor with Jackson. Jackson has performed very well all freshman 12 months and has performed issues that I don’t suppose anybody else has performed like that. It was simply cool for me to be a part of that group and be on the market enjoying with them.”

Now, Clanton has an opportunity to win the largest title of his profession and get nearer to a PGA Tour card himself.

Come Wednesday, he can have 14 factors in PGA Tour College Accelerated after he formally strikes to No. 1 in WAGR. A win on the U.S. Novice would give him three extra factors. If he will get to twenty, like Sargent did final fall, he’ll earn his PGA Tour card.

However his focus is not on his rating or what comes with it, simply enjoying strong golf. Which, for Clanton, hasn’t been a difficulty in any respect in 2024.

“I’m simply going to remain in my zone,” he mentioned. “I’m going to be trustworthy with you, I’m fairly easy in the case of this. I’m not too heavy into these items. Golf’s not my life. I believe lots of people get obsessive about it and I attempt to guarantee that I don’t get obsessive about it as a lot, and notice that I’ve an exquisite girlfriend, a fantastic household. You get too obsessive about golf generally, it turns into a bit exhausting.”

Paul Chang’s unimaginable run continues at Hazeltine

Followers of novice golf will keep in mind Paul Chang and the run he made on the 2023 U.S. Novice.

At Cherry Hills in Denver, Chang was an unranked membership golfer who practically superior to the quarterfinals, falling to eventual semifinalist J.M. Butler to additional holes. The 23-year-old senior at Virginia now sits 97th within the World Novice Golf Rating, and he was tied for the lead after the opening spherical of the 2024 U.S. Novice after a 6-under 64 at Chaska City Course.

He is into match play once more and will likely be one of many high seeds. Chang shot 1-under 71 at Hazeltine on Tuesday and completed T-3 at 7 below following 36 holes of stroke play.

“Final 12 months, I didn’t really feel like I belonged right here in any respect,” Chang mentioned Monday. “I used to be simply testing the waters. Don’t know who’s who. This 12 months, I used to be operating into a variety of fellow gamers and saying hello. I actually need to give it a great run this 12 months.”

Likelihood of climate impacts schedule

Due to forecasted inclement climate within the Minneapolis space Wednesday afternoon, the Spherical of 64 tee instances have been moved to 9 a.m. ET (initially 11 a.m.).   Protection of the Spherical of 64 will likely be broadcast dwell on Golf Channel (with simulstream on Peacock) from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. ET. A condensed replay of the day’s motion will re-air on Golf Channel from 6-8 p.m. ET.  The playoff for remaining match play spots, if essential, will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET (initially 9 a.m.).

Finest Spherical of 64 matchups

Extra matches will likely be added as soon as the bracket is full.

No. 20 Jacob Modleski vs. No. 45 Wells Williams, 10:10 a.m. ET

No. 15 Tiger Christensen vs. No. 50 Gordon Sargent, 11 a.m. ET

No. 18 Benjamin James vs. No. 47 Jose Luis Ballester, 11:10 a.m. ET

No. 19 Caden Fiorini vs. No. 46 Phichaksn Maichon, 12 p.m. ET

TV data

Wednesday, Aug 14: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. p.m., Golf Channel/Peacock; 6-8 p.m., Golf ChannelThursday, Aug. 15: 5-6 p.m., Peacock; 6-8 p.m., Golf ChannelFriday, Aug. 16: 5-6 p.m., Peacock; 6-8 p.m., Golf ChannelSaturday, Aug. 17: 3-6 p.m., Golf ChannelSunday, Aug. 18: 2-5 p.m., Golf Channel

This text initially appeared on Golfweek: Luke Clanton makes cut after marathon weekend; 14-for-11 playoff for final match play spots at 2024 U.S. Amateur